Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket (still).

A/N: Chapter 13 and 14 (this one) posted together. If you haven't read chapter 13 yet, please go back and do so.

Roses of Glass Chapter 14

When Tohru woke up later that night, there had still been no word as to Kyo's whereabouts. But by this point, she was able to hold herself together enough to keep from crying. She glanced out the window. At least it wasn't snowing. That would have impeded the search. She pulled the blanket closer to her and sipped the coffee Yuki had brought her. She looked back at Yuki to find him frowning at her.

"You look tired," he told her, "maybe you should try to get some more sleep."

Tohru shook her head, "No, I'm not going to sleep until I hear something. I can't. I have too much going on in my head to try to sleep again right now."

Yuki's expression softened as he nodded, "Okay, I understand."

Meanwhile

Kyo let out a sigh a he leaned back against the wall. It was getting very late. Tohru was probably getting really worried. Maybe the others were too. He wondered if anyone was looking for him. He wondered if he would get back to the hotel in time to spend Christmas with Tohru. He wondered a lot of things. Being stuck as he was, there wasn't much else for him to do. And it kept his mind off the cold air that was trying to chill him to the bone. He thought back on the events that have lead him to this position.

The ice climbing had been great. In fact, Kyo had gotten so wrapped up in the challenge that he had lost track of time, only realizing as the sun started to go set how long he had been gone. Trying to make his way back to the hotel in the dark, he had stepped in a hole in the snow, lost his balance and tumbled embarrassingly down the slope. In the process, he managed to wreck his sense of direction and sprain his ankle, making his trek back to the hotel both difficult and painful. When he came across an old utility shed, he decided that it would be wiser to use the small shelter to wait until either the pain in his ankle subsided or someone came to find him. After all, between the cold, the pain, and the exhaustion he was feeling, the last thing he need was to get more lost than he figured he already was.

At first, the shelter had been a huge relief. It blocked out the wind and gave Kyo a chance to get off his injured leg and rest. But as it grew later, the air within the shed grew colder and his ankle continued to throb. As a shiver ran through him, Kyo though to himself that he would give almost anything to be sitting by the fire back at the hotel with Tohru fussing over his ankle. He closed hid eyes and tried to imagine himself there. Within a few minutes, his exhaustion overtook him and he fell asleep.

Back at the hotel, Tohru was growing restless. Suddenly she stood up, startling Yuki.

"That's it," she exclaimed, "I don't care what Shigure said. I can't just wait here any longer. I have to go out and look."

"But...." Yuki began.

"I have to do this. You can come and help me or you can stay here. But I need to get out there."

"Okay, I'll help you."

Both went to their rooms to layer on their warm clothes and grab some blankets before meeting back at the lounge. Yuki also grabbed a flashlight that he had brought along for any nighttime outings that might have come up. He figure this counted. They decided to check back at the hotel in an hour if they hadn't found anything and then they set out to search for Kyo.

Tohru had watched Kyo leave and knew which direction to head out in. After walking for about fifteen minutes, Tohru saw Yuki hop over something in front of them.

"Careful, there's a hole there," Yuki warned and turned to shine the light on it for her. He stopped halfway through his turn as the light caught a strange pattern in the snow.

"What is that?" Tohru asked.

"It looks like something slid down this slope here. It's could be worth checking out."

They followed the track down the slope and found a large, slightly sunken in area with footprints leading off from it. They were not quite headed in the right direction of the hotel.

"Oh, Yuki!" exclaimed Tohru, "Do you think it was Kyo?"

Yuki answered, "There's one way to find out."

They followed the footsteps, which went further off track from the direction of the hotel. Yuki came to a halt as the shed came into view. He shined the light across the ground. The footsteps headed into the shed. He was going to suggest to Tohru that he go first in case it wasn't Kyo or it was but he was seriously injured, not that he would actually mention the second possibility to Tohru. Before he got the chance to say anything, however, Tohru darted past him towards the shed.

She threw open the door to the shed as Yuki caught up to her with the light. Kyo was leaning against the back wall with his eyes closed. Tohru let out a gasp, and not, knowing what to think, started crying.

A moment later, Kyo's voice reached her ears, "Tohru?"

He eyes widened as she looked to see Kyo gazing back at her. She ran to him, "Kyo! Are you okay? What happened? I was so worried." Then as she touched his face, "You're freezing!"

Kyo gave her the best sheepish grin he could muster under the circumstances and said through chattering teeth, "It got later than I thought. I tried to walk back in the dark but fell and hurt my ankle. Then I couldn't find my way back so when I found this place I thought it might be best to stay put. I didn't realize how cold it would get."

As Tohru placed a couple of blankets around Kyo's shoulders, Yuki asked him, "Do you think you can walk on that ankle?"

"I don't know. Maybe with some support," Kyo answered.

"Okay then, we'll help you get back the hotel and let everyone know that you've been found."

On the way back, Tohru could not take her eyes off of Kyo. She was afraid he might disappear again. But she was happy. She thought to herself that no matter what Christmas held, she could count Kyo's safety as on of the best gifts she ever received.